Farmers group denies police’s ‘nanlaban’ claim vs party-list nominee

MANILA, Philippines – The progressive Magsasaka party-list denied on Monday, February 3, the claim of the national police that their third nominee, former communist guerrilla Lejun Dela Cruz, was armed and resisted arrest.

The arrest was supposedly for murder, reminiscent of the classic “nanlaban” case prevalent during the brutal war on drugs under Rodrigo Duterte.

“Lejun Dela Cruz was unarmed. The claim that he was firing a weapon is completely false,”  Magsasaka secretary-general General Du said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said during a briefing Monday morning: “Tumakbo po ito, bumunot po ng baril, at sumakay po sa kanyang sasakyan at hinabol po ng kapulisan.” (He ran away, pulled out his gun, drove away, and was chased by the police.)

Magsasaka reported on Sunday afternoon, February 2, that Dela Cruz had been abducted in Cainta. Colleagues later found him detained at a local police station in Pasig, where authorities said he was arrested for a murder case that dated back to 1992. Dela Cruz was detained on the basis of a 2018-dated warrant of arrest issued by a Las Piñas court.

Du said the warrant was an “afterthought” of a “failed assassination attempt.” Du claimed that Dela Cruz already has immunity for the 1992 case — involving the murder of Boboy Jimenez, the brother of the late anti-crime advocate Dante Jimenez — that triggered the creation of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) group.

Dela Cruz was a member of the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) communist squad, but had returned as a civilian more than two decades ago. Du said that the 2000 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the ABB covered immunity for Dela Cruz. Du said there seems to be a pattern of going after members of that group under the 2000 peace agreement.

“In short we believe this was a botched ambush, why? There are signs. Number one, ‘yung mga kasamahan niya na iba, mayroong mga in-assassinate recently at hinuli,” said Du. (Number one, some of his other colleagues were assassinated or arrested recently.)

Fajardo said that if Dela Cruz had immunity, “sagutin niya sa tamang proseso, na-prevent sana ang ganitong situwasyon.” (He should answer, following the right process, which could have prevented this situation.)

Dela Cruz has now been detained for more than 24 hours. His lawyers were supposedly going to attend an inquest on Monday, but were told that the prosecutor’s office closed at 3 pm, and that the proceedings would have to be held the following day, February 4.

What happened?

In Magsasaka’s version, an unarmed Dela Cruz was approached by someone offering real estate investments at around 10 am in Cainta. Noticing the shape of a gun in the person’s waist, Dela Cruz went to his car. Du said a motorcycle-riding man shot at Dela Cruz’s car twice before he sped off.

CAR. Lejun Dela Cruz’s car bears bullet holes says Magsasaka Party List. Photo courtesy of Atty General Du

After a chase, Dela Cruz hit a dead end Sunday 12 noon, February 2, in Manggahan, Pasig, according to Du. The men in plainclothes who chased him eventually introduced themselves as policemen serving a warrant.

Fajardo said that plainclothes-wearing police is ordinary protocol for the service of warrants. “Kapag malayo pa lang ay uniporme na ‘yan, sunog na agad ang operasyon, what’s important is noong siya ay inaresto nagpakilala agad ang pulis,” said Fajardo. (If you spot policemen wearing uniforms from afar, the operation is immediately compromised. What’s important is when he was arrested, they identified themselves as cops.)

Du said that when the chase ended, Dela Cruz was pushed face down on the pavement and he physically resisted. When passers-by started to crowd, Du said that’s when the cops figured how to cover up for their mess.

Du alleged it was at this point that a gun was planted on Dela Cruz. Du added that the surface campaign and media attention that was mounted in a few hours in between was what probably saved Dela Cruz’s life.

Fajardo claimed that one cop was injured when Dela Cruz hit police vehicles during the chase. She also showed a video of cops reading Dela Cruz his Miranda rights.

NORMAL PROCEDURE? PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo shows a video of cops reading Lejun Dela Cruz his Miranda rights. Screenshot from PNP briefing

Du questioned why there was no blotter report in the Manggahan Pasig Police station where Dela Cruz was apprehended.

Fajardo said the police will file complaints of illegal possession of firearms, violation of gun ban, and malicious mischief against Dela Cruz.

Du said they are aware that Dela Cruz’s past as a communist guerrilla will be used against him in this case.

“But sana mas maging discerning ang publiko sa mga taong sumasakay sa isyu, ang isyu po dito ay ang human rights ni Lejun Dela Cruz, ang isyu po dito ay violence against farmers and activists, ang issue po dito ay mayroong allegedly state-sponsored assassination against a member of a party-list, a nominee and an organizer,” said Du.

(But we hope that the public will be more discerning about people trying to ride on this issue — the issue here is Lejun Dela Cruz’s human rights, the issue here is violence against farmers and activists, the issue here is that there was allegedly a state-sponsored assassination against a member of a party-list, a nominee and an organizer.) – Rappler.com